Self-service merchandise display rack for boxes



July 5, 1960 R. H. COLLEY 2,943,

SELF-SERVICE MERCHANDISE DISPLAY RACK FOR BOXES Filed June 25, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 1 ...all uHhg hy lOn Hotla -v INVENTOR. RUSSELL H. COLLEYBY aK/KZZ y 5, 1960 R. H. COLLE-Y 2,943,742

SELF-SERVICE MERCHANDISE DISPLAY RACK FOR BOXES Filed June 25, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

3L4 RUSSELL H. COLLEY ATTORNEY SELF-SERVICE MERCHANDISE DISPLAY RACK FORBOES Russell H. 'Colley, Holley Lane, Darien, Conn.

Filed June 25, 1958, Ser. No. 744,397

3 Claims. (Cl. 211-49) This invention relates to combined display andvending devices designed primarily for the self-service trade andrelates more particularly to a rack for displaying packaged or boxedarticles such as hosiery wherein there are a relatively large number ofpackage facings in a display rack requiring a very limited amount offloor space.

The increasing tendency of food supermarkets to sell non-food items hasmade it necessary to provide more display stands and since availablespace is limited it becomes apparent that a merchandise displaystructure must provide means for displaying a larger number of the itemswithin a small area. In fact, it has been found that the more packagesdisplayed, having a wide variety of colors and sizes, as in the case ofhosiery, the greater is the selling appeal.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a'merchandise display unit wherein a large number of the packaged itemsare neatly arranged in full view of the customer and a considerablequantity of the boxes can be removed while giving the appearance thatthe supply is well filled at all times.

The improved display unit of the present invention has a novel gravityfeed arrangement wherein only a single box containing a given size andcolor of the article is visible but as the packages are successivelyremoved by the customer another one immediately takes its place. Notonly is the supply self-replenishing but it is also self-arranging so asto require only infrequent servicing by the store attendant for thepurpose of adding more stock to the display.

Another object of the invention is to provide a selfservice merchandisedisplay shelf wherein each of the packaged items is located adjacent toa picture of the item and, if desired, a color swatch, and the full faceof the package is prominently visible. This facilitates selfservice byenabling the customer to arrive at a decision more quickly as to whicharticle to purchase.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for replacing apackage in the same ordered arrangement if the customer picks up apackage and then changes her mind about purchasing the same. Thisfeature eliminates one of the principal disadvantages in gravity feeddisplay units since they provide no place to return the unwanted itemand it usually is placed on the floor or returned to some shelf fardistant from the display rack. Yet another object of the invention isthe provision of a gravity feed display unit with magazine or hoppers ofvarying size so that a larger number of the faster selling items can bestored in the hopper while a smaller hopper is used for theless-called-for items. This arrangement increases customer convenienceand at the same time provides for greater efliciency of commoditystorage.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a combined merchandise display andself-service vending unit embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2. is a central vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

nae States atenr r 2,943,742 Patented July 5, 1960 Fig. 3 is an enlargeddetail view showing one of the inclined display shelves with a pluralityof rows of merchandise boxes thereon, the boxes in each row beingarranged in superimposed or stacked relation.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a barrier plate for limiting downwardtravel of the upper layer of boxes.

Fig. 5 is a broken side elevation showing two adjoining shelves and theboxes numbered in the order in which they are dispensed.

Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 5 but shows the arrangement after one box hasbeen removed from the lower end of the two shelves.

Fig. 7 shows the arrangement after two boxes have been removed.

Fig. 8 shows the arrangement after the removal of three boxes.

The display rack shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has end walls 10, each having arear vertical edge 11 and a forwardly inclined front edge 12 which isvertical at its lower end as shown at 13. This lower section includes anupper wall 14, a lower wall 15 which is supported on a base 16. A frontrail 17 extends the full width of the display unit. A vertical panel 18olfers support for the lowermost shelf. An electrical connection 20provides power for illumination purposes. A drawer 21 for surplus stockis positioned in this lower section.

A plurality of forwardly inclined shelves extend between the end walls10 and are supported thereby. The lowermost shelf 23 extends down to thefront rail 17 of the lower section and is of sufficient width to receive4 rows of the merchandise boxes which are shown at 22.

The next shelf 24 above shelf 23 provides a sufiicient clearance betweenthe two shelves to receive two superimposed boxes although, as wasearlier pointed out, the precise arrangement is a matter of choice. Thehigher shelves are arranged to receive a greater height of boxes sincethey support the merchandise of sizes or varieties in greater demand.

Thus, the third shelf 25 provides a clearance for three layers of boxeson shelf 24. This third shelf is shown as being of sufiicient depth toreceive three rows of boxes and the fourth shelf 26 provides sufiicientclearance to permit seven superimposed merchandise boxes on the nextlower shelf 25. There is clearance for four layers of boxes on shelf 26and the next upper shelf 27 is of lesser depth and receives only tworows of boxes.

It will be noted that the front edges of all the shelves aresubstantially the same distance from the inclined front edges 12 of theopposed end walls.

Each of the shelves 23 to 27 are divided into a plurality ofcompartments by means of wall members 30 which may be stamped out fromsheet metal and having right angular flanges 31 along the lower edgesfor permanent attachment to the shelf as by means of welding. Thedistance between each two adjoining walls is slightly greater than thewidth of the merchandise boxes 22. A narrow wall or stop 33 is securedat the front edge of each Wall 30 and limits the forward travel of thefront box. These flanges or stops are sufficiently narrow to expose themajor portion of the front edge of the boxes and permit them to beraised by the customer and reviewed.

At the forward end of each shelf there is secured a generally C-shapedtrackway or flanged support 34 for price cards 3-5. It will be notedthat the narrow vertical front wall 33 is of a height slightly greaterthan the distance between the two adjoining shelves so that when theboxes are fed from the rear of the display unit the upper end of thisfront wall or stop 33' is always higher than the front box. Forinstance, there is clearance between second shelf 24 and third shelf 25for three layers of boxes. If the customer removes the first boxindicated at 22a, the box 221) immediately to its rear will movedownwardly to the position previously occupied by box 22a. If, then, thecustomer decides not to take the first box she has but to place it onetop of box 22b and flange 33 prevents it from falling off the shelf.

A panel 37 is positioned above shelf 27 and there is sufiicientclearance for five layers of merchandise boxes. This panel is inclinedat an angle more nearly vertical than shelf 27 and on the front face ofthis panel there is an elongated, generally C-shap'ed trackway 48' whichreceives a plurality of transparent plastic boxes 4% which may contain acolor sample of the merchandise. Below trackway 48 is a second trackway41 which receives priceinformation cards 42.

Panel 37 also supports a rectangular frame 43* which receives aplurality of transparent panels M' having imprinted thereon intranslucent colors various advertising data and these panels areilluminated from the rear by lighting means 45. Another advertisingpanel 46 at the top of the display unit receives illumination fromthesame source.

Fig. 3 shows a representative shelf 26' having three rows of boxes 22which originally were four deep. Assume the customer has removed thefirst box from the front row and decides to return it, front wall orflange 33 is of sufficient height to receive this box as shown at 22c.

It will be noted that the height of flange 33' is greater than theheight of vertical walls or partitions 30 and that the height of eachone of the latter is such as to extend upwardly to the lower face of thenext upper shelf. 7 In the case of the uppermost shelf 27 the verticalpartitions extend substantially to the lower end of panel 37. By thisarrangement the vertical walls act as guides for the opposed ends of therows of boxes carried thereon in superimposed relation and permittwo-way gravity flow of the boxes, i'.e., the top boxes at the rear canflow both forwardly and downwardly as the boxes at the front aresuccessively removed. I V

A modified arrangement for limiting downward travelof the boxes is shownin Figs. 4 to 8. A baffle plateor barrier 50 having a plurality ofdownwardly extending box-engaging fingers 51; is mounted on the lowersurface of each shelf above the lowermost shelf. This plate is mountedat the forward end of the shelf and the distance from each finger to'the forwardedge of the next lower shelf is equal to the depth or lengthof onebox.

Thus, as show'niri- Fig lower shelf 52 has no bafile from the front tothe" rear. The nextshelf 53 is of sufiicient depth to receive two rowsof boxes and there is slightly more clearance between the shelves thanis necessary to receive four layers of the boxes. At the forward end ofshelf 53, on the lower surface thereof, the bafile plate is mounted andfingers 51 thereof extend downwardly into each compartment defined bytwo opposed vertical walls.

The boxes 22 on lower shelf 52 are numbered 1 to ll, said numbersindicatingthe order in which they are fed to the front of the shelf forremoval by the customer. The same is true with fespect to the numberedboxes on shelf 53. In Fig. 6,- the first box has been removed from shelf52 and the number 2 box hastaken its place. Boxes 3 and 4 then movefofwardly before the number 5 box does so and the other boxes follow inthe indicated order as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

What I claim is:

1. A self-service merchandise display rack for boxes of articlescomprising a pair of end walls whos'e' ffdnt edges are inclined upwardlyand rearwardly and provided with a plurality of spaced; diagonallyinclined shelv'es extending between the end walls,- said shelves beingof progressively decreasing depth as they proceed upwardly andterminating at their front edges adjacent the inclined front edges ofthe end walls,- vertical partitions extending from each shelf upwardlyto the lower face of the next upper shelf each pair of adjoiningpartitions forming end guides for lateral rows of boxes carried thereonin superimposed relation, narrow stop plates at the forward end of eachpartition limiting downward and forward travel of the boxes whileexposing a major portion of the front edges of the boxes.

2. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein said stop plates are of aheight greater than the distance to the next upper shelf so as tosupport boxes which have been removed from a shelf and then replacedafter the gravity feed has carried another box to take its place.

3. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein stops extend downwardly fromthe front edge of each shelf and limit downward and forward travel tothe front of the shelf of all boxes except the uppermost on each layer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNI-TED STATES PATENTS1,339,973 OConnor Sept. 6, 1921 1,716,964 Kuck June 11, 1929' 1,745,164Griflith "J a'n. 28, 1930 2,228,775 Morgan Ian. 14, 1941 2,555,102Anderson J May 29', 1951 2,857,694 Abrams Oct. 28, 1958

